Meaning & use
condemn
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Meanings
verbtransitivedisapproving
To express strong public disapproval of an action, idea, or person.
Grammar: Takes an object; commonly followed by as or for: condemn the decision as unjust.
Patterns
- condemn something as…
- condemn someone for…
- strongly/roundly condemn
The council condemned the attack as cowardly.
Doctors condemned the clinic for unsafe practices.
Editorials across the country condemned the decision.
verbtransitivelegal
To officially sentence someone to a punishment, especially death or imprisonment.
Grammar: Legal use; usually condemn someone to a punishment.
Patterns
- condemn someone to death
- condemn someone to life imprisonment
- be condemned by the court
The court condemned him to life imprisonment.
In the novel, the prisoner is wrongly condemned to death.
The judge condemned the smuggler to ten years in prison.
verbtransitivelegal
To declare officially that a building or structure is unsafe or unfit for use.
Grammar: Common in passive: be condemned; object is usually a building, bridge, or house.
Patterns
- condemn a building
- be condemned as unsafe
- condemn a bridge
The city condemned the warehouse after the fire.
The old theater was condemned as unsafe and later restored.
Inspectors condemned the bridge until repairs were completed.
Word forms
| third person singular | condemns |
|---|---|
| past tense | condemned |
| past participle | condemned |
| -ing form | condemning |
Common combinations
- strongly condemn
- Aid groups strongly condemned the shelling of hospitals.
- condemn as unjust
- The union condemned the layoffs as unjust.
- condemn someone to death
- The trial wrongly condemned an innocent man to death.
Synonyms and how they differ
- denounce
- Denounce means publicly accuse or condemn; condemn can also mean officially punish.
- censure
- Censure is formal criticism, often official, but weaker than condemning to punishment.
- sentence
- Sentence is the legal term for imposing punishment; condemn adds the context of judgment.
Opposites
Word family
- condemnation noun
- Strong disapproval or an official judgment against something.
- condemned adjective
- Officially declared unfit, or sentenced to punishment.
Commonly confused: condemn or condone? condemn or contemn?
condemn vs condone
Condone means to accept or forgive wrong behavior; condemn is its near opposite in attitude.
condemn vs contemn
Contemn is rare and means to despise or treat as worthless; condemn is the common word.
Practice
Which sentence means the building was declared unsafe?
Choose one answer.
“Condemned the bridge” means officials declared it unsafe or unfit. “Condoned” means tolerated, “commended” means praised, and the last option wrongly sentences people.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “condemn”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.